Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
Inhlakanipho kayimemezi yini, lokuqedisisa kukhuphe ilizwi lakho?
2 At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
Engqongeni yezindawo eziphakemeyo, ngasendleleni, phakathi kwezindlela kumi.
3 At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,
Eceleni kwamasango, entubeni yomuzi, ekungeneni kweminyango kuyamemeza kakhulu kuthi:
4 'Unto you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] unto the sons of men.
Kini, madoda, ngiyamemeza, lelizwi lami lisebantwaneni babantu.
5 Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
Lina elingelalwazi, qedisisani inhlakanipho; lani zithutha, qedisisani ngenhliziyo.
6 Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
Zwanini, ngoba ngizakhuluma izinto zobukhosi, lokuvula kwendebe zami kuzakuba yikuqonda.
7 For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips [is] wickedness.
Ngoba umlomo wami ukhuluma iqiniso, lenkohlakalo iyisinengiso endebeni zami.
8 In righteousness [are] all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
Wonke amazwi omlomo wami asekulungeni; kakukho okutshilekileyo lokugobileyo kuwo.
9 All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
Wonke aqondile kulowo oqedisisayo, alungile kulabo abathola ulwazi.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
Yemukelani ukufundisa kwami, hatshi isiliva, lolwazi kulegolide elikhethekileyo.
11 For better [is] wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.
Ngoba inhlakanipho ingcono kulamatshe amahle, lakho konke okufisekayo kakulakulinganiswa layo.
12 I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.
Mina nhlakanipho ngihlala lokuqedisisa, ngithola ulwazi lamacebo.
13 The fear of Jehovah [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.
Ukwesaba iNkosi kuyikuzonda ububi; ukuzigqaja, lokuziqhenya, lendlela embi, lomlomo wokuphambeka ngiyakuzonda.
14 Mine [is] counsel and substance, I [am] understanding, I have might.
Iseluleko ngesami, lenhlakanipho eqotho; ngiyikuqedisisa; amandla ngawami.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
Ngami amakhosi ayabusa, lababusi bamisa ukulunga.
16 By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
Ngami iziphathamandla ziyabusa, lezikhulu, bonke abehluleli bomhlaba.
17 I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
Mina ngiyathanda abangithandayo, lalabo abangidingisisayo bazangithola.
18 Wealth and honour [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
Inotho lodumo kukimi, inotho eqhubekayo lokulunga.
19 Better [is] my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
Isithelo sami singcono kulegolide, legolide elicwengekileyo, lokutholakalayo kwami kulesiliva esikhethekileyo.
20 In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,
Ngihamba endleleni yokulunga, phakathi kwemikhondo yesahlulelo;
21 To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.
ukuthi ngenze abangithandayo badle ilifa lemfuyo; ngigcwalise iziphala zabo.
22 Jehovah possessed me — the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
INkosi, ngaba ngeyayo, ngaba yikuqala kwendlela yayo, ngaphambi kwemisebenzi yayo yendulo.
23 From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.
Ngamiswa kwasephakadeni, kusukela ekuqaleni, kusukela emandulo omhlaba.
24 In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
Kungakabi khona izinziki ngasengizelwe, ingakabi khona imithombo enzima ngamanzi.
25 Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
Intaba zingakamiswa, kungakabi khona amaqaqa, ngasengizelwe.
26 While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
Ingakawenzi umhlaba lemimango, lokuqala kwentuli zomhlaba.
27 In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
Lapho ilungisa amazulu ngangikhonapho; lapho imisa umkhathi ngaphezu kwenziki;
28 In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
lapho imisa amayezi ngaphezulu; lapho iqinisa imithombo yenziki;
29 In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
lapho imisela ulwandle umngcele walo ukuze amanzi angeqi umlayo wayo; lapho imisa izisekelo zomhlaba;
30 Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight — day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
khona ngangiseduze layo njengowakhuliswa yiyo, ngizintokozo zayo usuku ngosuku, ngithokoza phambi kwayo ngaso sonke isikhathi,
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.
ngidlala elizweni lomhlaba wayo, lentokozo zami zisebantwaneni babantu.
32 And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.
Ngakho-ke, bantwana bami, ngizweni; ngoba babusisiwe abagcina indlela zami.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
Zwanini ukulaya, lihlakaniphe, lingakudeli.
34 O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
Ubusisiwe umuntu ongizwayo, alinde insuku ngensuku emasangweni ami, alinde emigubazini yeminyango yami.
35 For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
Ngoba ongitholayo uthola impilo, azuze umusa eNkosini.
36 And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
Kodwa owona kimi wona umphefumulo wakhe; bonke abangizondayo bathanda ukufa.
